The three-day downtown event drew 5,172 registered participants. Many activities Thursday, including the Storybook Parade and unveiling of the new Oliver Jeffers sculpture were free, so it's likely many more participated in the CALF.

According to the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, the registration total was an 8 percent jump from 2017. Issued were:

Jeffers, who spoke about his art Thursday evening and was honored at a dinner Friday at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, said in a news release from ACAC that his first visit to the Storybook Capital of America was memorable.

"I have traveled all over the world and never have I received a welcome like this," said Jeffers, who brought his wife, two children and others with him. He rode in the parade and was on hand when a sculpture of Marcel and Wilfred, the moose and child characters from his picture book "This Moose Belongs to Me," made its first public appearance.

Mayor Anthony Williams, tapping the power invested in him, named Team Jeffers honorary Abilenians for the weekend.

Even the recent 100-degree heat abated to the mid-90s.

For those who missed Jeffers or didn't get enough of his work, including his two well-received Crayons books, an exhibition that covers 15 years of his work can be see at the NCCIL into September.

Mini Moo, the CALF mascot, was joined this year by a tiny horse named Mini Neigh. Other new activities were well received, ACAC officials said.

Plans already are underway for the 2019 festival, which will honor Peter Brown ("Mr. Tiger Goes Wild," "The Wild Robot," "Creepy Carrots") from June 6-8.